Four employees, but no customers, were inside the bank at 100 N. Wilson St. at 10:45 a.m. when the robber burst inside, pointed a handgun and demanded cash, Reid said.

The employees "were shook up," the chief said. "They were scared."

Robbery suspect

The robber scooped up the money, then ran outside, jumped in a white, four-door Buick that had been reported stolen from a woman in Wilson.

The robber was described as black, 25 to 30 years old, 6-feet tall and 160 pounds. He wore a burgundy ski mask.

Reid said there was no one in the bank parking lot or on the sidewalk when the robber ran outside. The getaway car turned right onto West Main Street, headed toward Fremont STARS School and disappeared.

Reid said he was hopeful the suspect would be arrested.

The Wayne and Wilson County sheriff's offices, Pikeville and Wilson police and Agent Douglas Rambaud of the FBI office in Greenville are assisting in the investigation.

Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call Goldsboro-Wayne County Crime Stoppers at 735-2255. Callers may remain anonymous, and they may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000, if their information leads to an arrest.

The N.C. Bankers Association also is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for the arrest and indictment of the robber. Confidential information may be called in to 1-800-209-2293.

The same bank also was robbed Dec. 28, 1999, by a man who handed a teller a note that demanded money. He grabbed the cash and fled.

Two days later a man was arrested by Mount Olive police after a chase across southern Wayne County and charged with robbing the Triangle Bank in Mount Olive. Carl King, then 36, of Miller Street, Goldsboro, also confessed to robbing The Heritage Bank.

The Heritage Bank has several branches in Wayne and neighboring counties and has its headquarters in Lucama.